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Last Updated On: December 14th, 2023
In most collecting corners, altering a card is sacrilege. Is there a worse feeling than stumbling on a priceless card stuffed in some corner of a cabinet, faded and tattered after years of neglect? It’s the stuff of PSA’s nightmares.
But Sportscards.com is making a bet that they could alter a card gracefully, and it could be big business.
Enter Jersey Fusion cards. By fusing sports cards with authentic jerseys or equipment, the manufacturers are shaking up the hobby with some funky designs.
If you’re unsure about Jersey Fusion cards or haven’t heard of them, have no fear. We’ve got you covered in this post, which will provide a crash course on:
- what they are
- where you can buy them
- if they’re worth anything
- how to lookup authentication info. using QR codes
- the highest selling cards in the last 12 mos.
Table of Contents
Overview
Before we get to the places to buy these Jersey Fusion cards, let’s discuss the who and what behind these novelty items.
Who Makes Jersey Fusion Cards?
Jersey Fusion cards are produced by Sportscards.com, a company founded in 1995 that serves as a one-stop for graded slabs, autographs of historical figures and celebrities, as well as supplies like card savers.
But in addition to serving as an online hub of collectibles, Sportscards.com also sells its own products, including the Jersey Fusion cards.
What are Jersey Fusion Cards?
Jersey Fusion cards are somewhat like patch cards in that both contain an element of a player’s clothing or equipment. But where they differ is that traditional patch cards, such as game used bat cards, come with the patch and card as one, resulting in a thicker card.
Jersey Fusion cards take a different tact.
By taking a pre-existing card (e.g. an authentic card produced by Panini, Topps, Upper Deck, etc.) and a thin acrylic layer with the jersey glued on, the company literally “fuses” together a card and jersey. These two pieces are then encased in a thick, tamper-evident plastic holder resembling a magnetic ONE-TOUCH® holder.
You may notice words like “Game Used Patch” or “One of One” on several cards listed in this post. This is printed on the acetate layer containing the jersey, and not on the card itself or the case.
Typically, the cards feature a small square patch on the front, but others take on bigger, bolder patch designs.
They also come with a QR Code on the back, which links to a virtual version of the card and more patch details and authentication information. Also on the back reads something along the lines of:
“This is material worn from a jersey in/on ‘date’ by the player depicted.”
How the Jersey Fusion QR Code Works
Let’s check out how the Jersey Fusion QR code works for authentication purposes, using the following David Ortiz 1/1 card, pulled by Reddit user MikeC987:
If we scan the QR Code, we’re taken to a page on Sportscards.com’s website that includes all of the card’s authentication and provenance information, including the original jersey and certificates of authenticity, in this case from PSA/DNA:
You might have also noticed the serial code in the top-right corner of the card’s back. While Jersey Fusion cards do not have a lookup tool like PSA or BGS, that serial code can be traced back to the original jersey on the company’s website, where each set’s checklist can be found.
Card Designs
Frankly, some of the cards look pretty cheesy and cheap. In fact, a common criticism of Jersey Fusion cards revolves around design – reviews range from “hideous” to “poo.”
And some don’t make much sense at all, like this Kawhi Leonard Jersey Fusion card featuring patches from the player’s Clippers jersey but a Prizm Dominance card from his season with the Toronto Raptors:
Still, others are pretty sweet, especially those that go beyond the simple square patch on the front. An excellent example is this one of one Dan Marino Jersey Fusion, which amps up the single square patch for something a bit more unique reading “Dolphins”:
Others, like this Randy Johnson card, uses a sweet Tucson Sidewinders logo in the background, placed there after the original card was laser cut:
For more information, check out this interview with the Director of Business Development at Jersey Fusion, Daryl McKay, who sat down with Sports Card Investors:
Card Sizes and Cases
The cards themselves carry the same height and length as a traditional card. But the thickness varies by the card itself and is a product of the specific piece of jersey used.
For instance, a patch of someone’s pre-game warmup jacket, which includes a button, is going to be naturally thicker than a thin basketball jersey swatch.
Two more notes on this topic:
- Jersey Fusion cards aren’t meant to be taken out of the plastic case they come in. The cases are custom, and tamper-evident, meaning collectors are encouraged to leave the card in its holder.
- In case you need to replace or reholder your Jersey Fusion slab, they have an upgrade process similar to grading companies where you can ship the card to them to have the case replaced for a fresh one. Pricing starts at $15.99 for one card, and is much cheaper when sending multiple (e.g. five cards is just $39.99 total).
Where to Buy Jersey Fusion Wax Boxes
Jersey Fusion cards can be purchased on the Sportscards.com website and come in three tiers of varying prices depending on the product.
The cheapest option is a Jersey Fusion sealed box containing one card from $24.99. Next is a Display Box containing 10 cards and costs around $295. Finally, one can buy a Case that comes with 80-100 cards that costs between $2,350 and $3,000.
Individual cards can also be purchased directly from secondhand markets by searching eBay and MySlabs.
Multiple Sports
Unlike traditional sports cards, Jersey Fusion cards aren’t set to any particular season or time.
While Panini Prizms may come out each year, Jersey Fusion cards are dictated by the availability of jerseys, not seasons. Checklists aren’t updated each year with new players, but rather consist of the jerseys used on the cards.
For instance, the Baseball Series 1 checklist includes both a pair of Ken Griffey, Jr. game used pants from 1997 and a Joe DiMaggio game worn undershirt from 1945.
As it stands, basketball, baseball, and football make up the bulk of the company’s product focus. Soccer, hockey, tennis, golf, and NASCAR are also included in smaller quantities. Only football and baseball are offered in their own distinct sets, while the other sports can be had in “All Sports Series” sets.
Are Jersey Fusion Cards Worth Anything?
Because of the high variability and low transparency about what Jersey Fusion cards actually exist, the values on these cards tend to be, well, whatever one makes of it.
On the lower-end, cards can be seen selling daily between $10-20 each for game used patches of players such as Brett Favre, Tim Duncan, Ray Allen, Shaq, and Travis Kelce.
Many serial numbered cards can be valued for a few hundred dollars, while higher-end cards can go for a few thousand dollars. In fact, some of the biggest resales of Jersey Fusion cards came in 2022, with a 1/1 Ernie Banks selling for $5,000 and a Sammy Sosa /50 went for $2,100, per CardLadder.
Others are listed at enormous prices, like this insane Michael Jordan NBA Logoman 1 of 1 Jersey Fusion card previously listed for $25,000 at PWCC. This card features the actual NBA Logoman cut out of a game used jersey worn by Jordan during the ’97-98 season. Wow!
Speaking of MJ Fusion Cards, some can be had at more reasonable prices as well. There are several on eBay between $100 to $500, like this Michael Jordan 3-color game used jersey patch fused onto a 1993 Living Legends insert, an honorable mention in our list of ’90s Jordan Fleer Inserts.
Highest Selling Cards (Last 12 Months)
The following table shows the top 5 sales of Jersey Fusion cards in the last year. You’ll notice the biggest sales are for the best players, and for the rarest cards (they’re all one of one cards).
| Card | Sales Price | Date Sold |
| 1997 Skybox Metal Universe Kobe Bryant #3 Titanium Die-Cut 1/1 Quad Jersey Fusion | $1,999 | May 2023 |
| 1995 Michael Jordan Predictor #R5 Dual Patch 1/1 Jersey Fusion | $1,351 | Jul. 2023 |
| 2022 Jersey Fusion LeBron James Game Used Quad Logo Patch 1/1 | $1,000 | Nov. 2023 |
| 2019 Donruss Optic LeBron James #60 Quad Patch 1/1 Jersey Fusion | $800 | Nov. 2023 |
| 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle Reprint Game Used Jersey Auto 1/1 Jersey Fusion | $780 | Nov. 2023 |
Grading and Population Data
It’s extremely difficult getting a read on how many Jersey Fusion cards are on the market for two reasons. First, the cards aren’t graded, so PSA or BGS pop counts don’t exist. Second, there’s no definitive checklist for individual cards, including which are serial numbered and those that are not.
For what it’s worth, hundreds of Jersey Fusion cards sell monthly on eBay alone. There appears to be enough supply in the market changing hands to signal wax is being ripped, and perhaps the cards have some staying power (at least for now).
Conclusion: Should You Care?
Let’s get one thing out of the way: design. If you research Jersey Fusion cards, chances are you’ll quickly find a slew of collectors bemoaning the product’s poor aesthetics.
And while we’ve highlighted a few attractive cards in this post, many of these cards aren’t easy on the eyes. But design is something that can be solved. Sportscards.com can hire better designers with bolder ideas.
What draws me more to these cards is the mission: providing access to actual game-used pieces, which is a rarity in today’s market.
Sportscards.com puts authenticity and provenance at the forefront of their product, while other patch cards today — like Panini’s National Treasures — may come with dodgy qualifiers that the uniform piece is “not associated with any specific player, game or event.” You’re lucky to know if the player pictured on the card actually wore the uniform!
By combining two hobbies at a relatively low price, the manufacturers of Jersey Fusion cards aim to provide access to a hobby that’s been overtaken by exorbitantly high prices. And that’s worth celebrating.
What are your thoughts? Favorite designs? Let us know in the comments below!